Running-gear for automobiles.



G. 0.1!: G. B; JONES. 1111111111111 GEAR FOR AUTOMOBILES.

APPLIUA'I'ION fFILl-ED APR-12, 1 909,

Patented June 20, 1911.

STATES PATENT onnrcn.

mama o. JONES AND cnmron n'nannnn JONES, or ALBUQUERQUE, TERRITORY or f NEW MEXICO.

To all whom, it may-concern.

Be it known that we, CLINTON C. Jones and CLINTON Bnannnn Jonas, citizens of the United States, residing at Albuquerque, in the county of Bernalillo and Territory of New Mexico, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Running-Gear for Automobiles, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to vehicles and refers particularly to running gear especially adapted to be used in automobiles.

The chief objects of the improvements which form the subject matter of this application arez-to provide a suspension dea vice for motor cars that will relieve the vehiole be from excessive shocks and vibrations. due to the unevenness int-he roads traveled, and thus not only altord an easier riding mo'yement, but also contribute to rennish an'improved bearing for the axle that will improve the wearing qualities, reduce friction, and aid the suspension mechanism in absorb'ng unusual shocks. I

Other 0 jects of our invention, stated more in detail urez-to provide a suspension mechanism that can be practically utilized in vehicles of light or heavy construction; to furnish an equalizing device in co1nbination with resilient members so arranged as -to coiiperate in producing an ellicient and practifal truss formation particularly adapted to .use in high speed'cars traveling over common roads, and to supply a take-up 'mechanism subsidiary to, or that may be substituted for the ordinary talre-up commonly'used in compensating for the stretch of a chain-dri\'e,'\vhcn a transmission of this type is employed.

Further objects are to furnish a suspension apparatus in which the suspending and truss members are so related as to produce a structure having a maximum strength com-- bined with a minimum weight of material and to prpducc an appliance for the purpose.

stated that will resist unusual strains, thus rendering the parts less liable to injury 6 from bending or breaking, and conducing to economy in operative expenses.

In -order to accomplish the above,

have devised the apparatus i lust-rated in the accompanying drawing, which forms a, part -of this application, the details of con- Specification of Letters Patent.

ture.

and other results of subsidiary importance, wen

RUNNING-GEAR FOR AUTOMOBILES.

Patented June 20, 1911.

Application filed April 12, 1909. Serial No. 483,453.

struction being disclosed in the following views Figure 1 is a side elevation of our improved running gear and suspension apparatus, adapted to be applied to an automobile, the body of the vehicle not being shown, and the relation of the supportingwheelsindicated in dotted out-lines; Fig. 2 is an end elevation enlarged; Fig. 3 is a sectional view also enlarged taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1; Fig. i is an enlarged side elevation of one of the frame guides; Fig. 5 is an enlarged longitudinal section of the axle bearing, with a fragment of the axle in engagement therewith; Fig. 6 is an end view of the axle bearing with theaxle removed; Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the equalizer casing; Fig. 8 is a transverse section of one of the en spring bearings, and Fig. 9 is an ens. larged fragmentary view taken from Fig. 1. Referring to the details of the drawing the reference characters 10, 10, indicate the side members of a frame designed to support the body (not shown) of the vehicle, upon the axles. The lower members 10 extend longitudinally in parallel relation and their ends project beneath and beyond the axles. The upper side members 1O are arranged vertically above the lower members, and their ends project above and beyond the axles. The upper and lower frame members upon each side are connected by vertical frame pieces 11 securely bolted to the said members and arranged in pairs upon each side of the axles. The extremities of the members 10, 10 upon either side are connccted by tie rods 12, furnished with turnbuckles 1.3, by means of which the tension of said rods may be adjusted. The front and rear ends of the upper side members 10 are offset to raise them to a slightly higher level as indicated at 14, and form supports for the ends of transverse frame members 15, arranged at the front and rear of the strucframe are axles 16, supported at their outer ends beyond the frame by ground wheels 17 which are designated by dotted outlines in Fig. 1. These axles are mounted in bearings hu-ving anti=friction devices, inclosed in a cylindrical casing 18 (Fig. 5) closed at one end and furnished at the other with a Extending transversely beneath the threaded cap .19. Within the cylinder adjacent the ends are metal retaining'wash ers 20 and dirt excludingwashcrs 21, the latter 0 preferably formed of felt or similar material. Each casing contains a pair of duplicate bearing rings or disks 22, between WlllCh are arranged a series of roller bearlugs 23, having their ends reduced to form journals 24, which are supported in an annular series of holes in the bearing rings 22, The casing 18 of each bearing is maintamed in proper position on the axle by a retaining collar 25, and is seated in a beartical channels 29 i n, which are arranged series of anti-frictionlollers 30, having their ends 'reduced to form bearings journaled in spaced holes in the sides of said channel. Between the blocks 26 and the upper frame side members 10 are interposed compression springs 31, having their lower ends engaging sockets 32 in the upper sides of said blocks.

Attached at each end to the upper frame member 10 on each side is a truss rod 33, supported at its middle on a center-block 34, triangular in shape, and bolted securely to the upper face of the frame member 10". A'

suitable turn-buckleis introduced in said rod 33 to permit of proper tensional adjustment. Extending transversely to the frame at the front andrear are semi-elliptical leaf end springs 36, supported in the median line by suspension clips 37 supported by a U-bolt 38 attached. to the under side of the transverse frame members 15, by boxes or clips 15. The ends of said springs 36 are sultably formed to engage forks or stirrups 39, attached to the lower ends of hangers 40 suspended from the front and rear ends of side springs 36", by stirrups 39. To the other end of each side spring is attached a hanger 41, connected tosaid spring by a fork 39 and pivoted at its lower end 45 to an equalizer 42, comprising a truss 43,"supported in the middle by a block 44. upper side of this blockis furnished with a semi-circular groove to receive a half round bend 46 in the upper member of the trussl43,

the concave side being enga ed by a boss 47, formed on the under side 0 -a bearing plate 47, bolted to the under side of the frame member 10 directly beneath the center-block 34. The block 44 is secured in position by a casing or. hanger 48 having securin flanges 49, provided with boltholes 50, w ich are engaged by the bolts 51' which secure the.

block 34 and the bearing plate 47.

It may be desirable to vary the relative position of the driving axle, particularly with view to adjust the tension of the chain w fen a transmission of this character is' employed, We accomplish this result by The front and rear The providing. the contact surfaces between the flanged ends of the vertical frame pieces 11 and the side members 10, 10 with suitable corrugationsbr teeth 52, w ich interlock and hold the frame ri id without danger of slipping when the boT allow the desired adjustment when loosened, the boltholes being properly slotted to permit the parts to be moved relatively to each other.

The operation of the frameand equaliz ing devices to resist shock and produce the desired ease of vibration, is, generally described, as follows :By inspection-of the drawings it will be clear that the entire weight of the frame and body will be borne by the bearing blocks 26, which, inturn, rest upon the roller bearing casing 18. The manner of connecting the various frame members with the semi-ellipticalsprin s 36, 36, will allowthe requisite side and tions to pre ent the jarring that would result from a more rigid construction, while the vertical movement of the entire frame with its load ispartially regulated by the compression springs3l. The truss member or equalizer 42 bein attached in the manner ts are tightened but' end mo--- shown to the ends 0 the side springs, afi'ords f a strong construction for the span of the side member 10, rendering it sufiiciently strong to support v roportionally heavy loads, the lower mem r 10 acting as a tie to cotiperat'e with the superstructure in resisting unusual stresses due to obstructions or irregularities in the road bed traveled over. The anti-friction devices of the said blocks 26 will permit a free vertical movement of the entire frame and its load appreciably resisted only by the elastic members comprising the semi-elliptical leaf springs 36, 36, and the shock absorbers or compression springs 31.

Having thus described our inventipn what we claim as new, is-:-

' l. The combination with the axles of a Vehicle, of a frame adapted to support the.

body of said vehicle, said frame comprisingparallel truss members, connections between the truss members, end springs supporting said connections, side springs flexibly connected at one end with said truss members andv at the other with said end springs, blocks supported upon said axles" and carrying the side springs, compression springs arranged between said blocks andthe truss members, and antifriction,devices co1nprising rollers interposed between the said blocks and vertical portions of said truss members, r

2. The combination with the axles of a. vehicle, of a frame-adapted to support the vehicle body, said frame comprising parallel side members composed of an -upper truss element and a lower tie element, vertical connections between said elements bearing lot blocks su poi Led on. said axles, channels in said bloc (S adapted to be slidably engaged by the said vertical connections, series of anti-friction rollers in said channels, a compression spring in said block engaging said upper truss element, and springs carried on blocks and supporting said frame. {I The combination with the axles of-a 'iitihiele, of a slidable frame adapted to 'support the vehicle body, roller bearings engaging the axles, bearing blocks supported on said roller bearings, side springs carried by the blocks longitudinally on the vehicle, of a slidable frame, said frame comprising side members having truss element's, means for adjusting said truss elements, bearing blocks-supported on the axles, roller bearings between said blocks and axles, springs on said blocks, flexible connections between the springs and said frame,.' and means for adjusting the blocks longitudinallfy on the frame.

In testimony whereof we afiix our signatures in the presence of two witnesses.

CLINTON C. JONES. C. B'RADNER JONES. a 

